‘Serve my people, my city’: Harvard alumnus joins election race to give Pakistan a facelift

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Updated 02 February 2024
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‘Serve my people, my city’: Harvard alumnus joins election race to give Pakistan a facelift

  • Hamza Ali Haroon, 33, is running for NA-46 seat from Islamabad, wants to reform bureaucracy and economy and combat climate change
  • Ex-PM Khan has in recent years mobilized young Pakistanis who see him as a change from old dynasties that have ruled the country for decades

ISLAMABAD: Hamza Ali Haroon left a corporate job in the United States and came back to Pakistan in 2020 with the desire to make a difference for his home country, plagued for decades by political and economic crises and currently the eighth nation in the world most vulnerable to long-term climate risk. 

Over the next three years, the 33-year-old Harvard Kennedy School of Government graduate became more and more convinced that bringing change required him to be at the helm of political affairs in the country.

Next week, Haroon will be among 5,121 candidates looking to win seats in parliament when the South Asian nation of 241 million people goes to the vote in general elections on Feb. 8. It is a big gamble for a young man in a country where the political landscape is dominated by well-established families and the parties they founded — mainly the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party — and where most candidates come from well-entrenched political backgrounds and are armed with big money and vote banks.

“The political party culture in Pakistan is a travesty because they do not encourage youth,” Haroon, the father of a five-month-old son and running for the NA-46 seat in Islamabad, told Arab News in an interview this week. 

“In our political culture, unfortunately, the youth is being used only for slogans and giving the [political] parties votes and that’s about it. They do not use their [young people’s] minds to have them build policy, implement policy or to have them come and get elected to go into the parliament and make laws.”

He said he rejected all major political parties in Pakistan and was running as an independent candidate.

“They’re not selecting their candidates on merit, they’re only selecting candidates on the loyalties they have toward their party leaders which I think is a great problem in our political culture and this is the reason why I’ve decided to stand [as an] independent,” said Haroon, who before joining politics served as a special adviser to the minister of science and technology and as a director of strategic initiatives at the information ministry. 

And though Haroon understands how difficult it is to make a dent in Pakistan’s dynastic and patronage-based politics, taking on a challenge is something he has never shied away from.

Just seven months before the National Junior Golf Championship of Pakistan, Haroon, then a 17-year-old, was told he would not be able to play golf again because of a knee injury.

But the defiant teenager not only went on to play in the series, he also won it and was selected to represent Pakistan at the World Junior Golf Championships held in San Diego. 

“At a very young age, I had learned that impossible was not a word in my dictionary, and if I could imagine it, I could achieve it,” Haroon’s Linkedin page read.

So leaving a well-paying job in the US and coming back to Pakistan to join politics was a no-brainer. 

“I realized that my passion in life was always to come back home and serve my people, my city,” he said.

Outlining his political vision, he said he wanted to “give back Islamabad to the youth of this city.”

“This city is being run by a bureaucracy, which is not accountable, which is not transparent, which is not fair,” he said. 

“The second thing we want to do is build an economy that is sustainable, that is inclusive and works for everyone, not just the rich. And the third thing we want to do is have protection of life, health and climate. These are the three pillars that form my vision.”

Along the way, Haroon hopes to inspire young people in a country where out of 128.58 million total registered voters, 23.51 million are between the ages of 18 and 25 and 33.34 million between 26 and 35 years old. 

“I’m seeing this in the campaign as well, that a lot of young people are getting inspired from this campaign because we’re actually talking the truth. We’re telling people the way things are and we’re telling them, ‘Listen, now is the time to change’.”

“OLD PAKISTAN

Experts say former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party has played a critical role in mobilizing young people in Pakistan.

Over the years, Khan has utilized social media to build up a vast following of young people who approve of his drive against corruption and ambitious promises to strengthen democracy and the rule of law, and see him as the face of “Naya [new] Pakistan” and a change from the old dynasties who have ruled Pakistan for decades. 

“There is a huge change and then 45 percent of our electoral list consists of young people who want to play their role,” Sarwar Bari, National Coordinator at the not-for profit Pattan Development Organization, told Arab News.

“They [youth] do not want to see the old Pakistan anymore and they wanted to have a better system in Pakistan because they do not like dynasties,” he said. “If polling [on Feb. 8] is transparent, free, and fair, then there is a likelihood that most of the so-called electables [established politicians] can lose to the young candidates.”

“I think Pakistan has changed a lot and the old dynasties have not realized that, and this election is going to tell us that not only the young people, but the rising middle class in Pakistan, whose youth is now very articulate and very active, they have this urge and the energy to change Pakistan,” Bari added.

“And that’s why we see young candidates as well as the young voters on Pakistan’s electoral list.”


Torrential rains, flash floods, landslide warnings issued for Punjab as monsoons continue

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Torrential rains, flash floods, landslide warnings issued for Punjab as monsoons continue

  • Over 110 dead across Pakistan in rain-related accidents since late June
  • Fesh monsoon spell to hit northern and central regions through July 17

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Tuesday issued an urgent weather alert warning of torrential rains with strong winds and thunderstorms expected to lash cities across the province through July 17, posing serious risks of flash floods, urban flooding and landslides.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA)’s fresh warning comes as the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Monday the nationwide monsoon death toll had hit 111 since June 26, including 40 fatalities in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province. Another 212 people have been injured in rain-related incidents across the country.

The annual monsoon season, which brings 70 to 80 percent of South Asia’s rainfall, is vital for agriculture and the livelihoods of millions of farmers but increasingly brings devastation due to erratic and extreme weather. Pakistan remains among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, with memories still raw from the 2022 floods that killed over 1,700 people and submerged a third of the country, causing over $33 million in economic losses. 

“PDMA’s provincial control room and district emergency operation centers have been put on alert,” a PDMA spokesperson said in a statement on Tuesday. “There are chances of heavy rain in upper river catchments, including Lahore and the northern regions, which could lead to flash floods.”

The PDMA said the fresh wet spell, driven by a low-pressure area over India’s Madhya Pradesh state, is expected to affect upper and central parts of Pakistan in the coming days. Strong monsoon currents and a westerly wave could intensify rainfall, especially in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Dera Ghazi Khan and northeastern Punjab.

According to the latest alert, low-lying urban areas face risks of flooding in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Faisalabad and other cities. The hilly regions of Murree and Galiyat could see landslides, while strong winds and lightning may damage vulnerable structures such as rooftops of mud houses, electric poles, billboards and vehicles.

The Director General of PDMA Punjab, Irfan Ali Kathia, has instructed district administrations to keep staff and machinery on high alert, ensure drainage channels stay clear and monitor low-lying areas to prevent urban flooding.

“WASA and municipal bodies must ensure that rainwater does not accumulate,” Kathia said. “Field officers should remain present and supervise operations.”

Residents, tourists and travelers have been urged to avoid unnecessary exposure during the stormy spell and to seek safe shelter where possible. In case of emergency, citizens can call the PDMA helpline at 1129.


Heart disease kills more Pakistani women than previously understood — study

Updated 30 min 12 sec ago
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Heart disease kills more Pakistani women than previously understood — study

  • Data from country’s top cardiac network reveals higher mortality, delayed care and diagnostic gaps for women
  • Researchers call for improved surveillance, early detection programs, inclusion of women in clinical research

ISLAMABAD: Heart disease is killing more women in Pakistan than previously understood, with female patients experiencing higher mortality rates, more severe symptoms and delayed diagnoses compared to men, according to a landmark hospital-based study published this week.

The paper, ‘Burden of cardiovascular disease in women: data from Pakistan’s largest cardiac hospital network,’ was released in npj Women’s Health this month and analyzed data from over 14,800 patients treated at the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD). It found that women with heart conditions are more likely to die than men, despite presenting at a younger age in some cases and with more complex symptoms.

“Women are diagnosed at a later stage, have delayed surgical referrals, and have poorer post-operative outcomes than males,” the researchers wrote. “There is a scarcity of data from South Asia due to underrepresentation of women in studies, which limits the development of evidence-based guidelines.” 

The study used prospective data collected from three patient registries, valve disease, coronary catheterization, and structural interventions, between October 2022 and June 2024. It discovered that females are more likely than males to suffer from valvular heart disease (VHD) and present at a considerably younger age. 

Females also had a higher likelihood of mitral valve disease than males, who were more likely to have aortic valve disease. Rheumatic heart disease was the leading cause of all left-sided VHD. 

Among women admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the study noted a “significantly higher prevalence of diabetes and hypertension” and that women experienced “a significantly higher rate of death, longer door-to-balloon time, and total ischemic time.”

The authors stressed that gender disparities in cardiac care in Pakistan are systemic, with women often excluded from clinical trials, underdiagnosed in hospitals and referred for surgical or interventional treatment far too late.

“Understanding the burden and presentation of cardiovascular disease in women is crucial to improving outcomes,” the paper stated, warning that Pakistan lacks gender-disaggregated cardiac data on a national level.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide for women, and the burden is rising fastest in low- and middle-income countries. In Pakistan, non-communicable diseases account for over 60 percent of all deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Yet gender-specific health data remains scarce, and preventive screening for women is rarely prioritized.

The authors called for improved surveillance, early detection programs and “urgent inclusion of women in cardiovascular clinical research” to address the growing crisis. 

“The development of targeted awareness programs and community-based screening could play a critical role,” they wrote.

Pakistan’s public health system remains underfunded, and most cardiovascular care is concentrated in a few urban centers like NICVD. Experts warn that without immediate policy intervention, gender inequities in care could worsen as risk factors like diabetes, obesity, and hypertension continue to rise.

The researchers concluded:

“Tailored public health policies and investments in gender-sensitive health care delivery are urgently needed to reduce the cardiovascular disease burden in women.”


Imran Khan’s party denies internal rifts as new protest campaign begins

Updated 50 min 4 sec ago
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Imran Khan’s party denies internal rifts as new protest campaign begins

  • Conflicting protest announcements raise questions over PTI strategy and coordination
  • Leaders say jailed ex-PM’s release remains unifying goal despite ‘minor’ disagreements

ISLAMABAD: Leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan have denied reports of internal rifts over the party’s recently launched anti-government protest campaign, saying the outfit remained united in its demand for Khan’s release.

On July 13, PTI announced a 90-day “do-or-die” protest drive against the government, days after 26 of its provincial lawmakers were suspended in Punjab and the Supreme Court rejected its appeal to reclaim reserved parliamentary seats for women and minorities.

The new protest campaign was launched by Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and a close Khan ally, but appeared to contradict an earlier call for a nationwide protest, posted on Khan’s official X account, set to culminate on August 5, marking the second anniversary of his imprisonment on corruption charges.

More questions emerged as senior PTI leader and Punjab Chief Organizer Aliya Hamza Malik publicly voiced concerns on X about a lack of clarity around the campaign. Malik questioned the origin of the 90-day plan and asked for details on the party’s strategy to secure Khan’s release. Khan has been in jail for nearly two years on multiple charges that he and his party say are politically motivated.

Arab News reached out to Malik for comment but received no response. However, PTI’s central spokesperson dismissed suggestions of internal divisions.

“There is no rift within the party as a whole, everyone is united on the agenda of ensuring Khan’s release, and the PTI is a large party where minor differences of opinion are natural and are part of a political culture,” PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram told Arab News. “A single statement can easily be blown out of proportion in this age of social media, but the reality is quite different.

“The party remains united under Khan’s leadership and is focused on a single objective, working for his release.”

Khan was ousted from the PM’s office in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 and jailed in August 2023. Since then, the PTI has repeatedly mobilized street protests, including a large march to Islamabad in November 2024, to demand his release and challenge the legitimacy of the February 2024 general election. The government accuses the PTI of using the protests to incite instability and disrupt efforts at economic recovery.

Asked about the structure of the current protest drive, Akram said the campaign had already begun, with each provincial chapter tasked with planning its own activities.

“All provincial chapters will finalize their protest plans within this week, and the goal is to build momentum leading up to August 5,” he said, declining further comment on the plans.

Earlier this month, Khan’s sister said his sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, who live in the UK, would join the campaign in Pakistan after returning from the United States. She said they would also raise awareness internationally, including in the US, about alleged human rights violations against Khan and PTI members. 

Party leaders declined to provide updates on Sulaiman and Kasim’s plans. 

“MINOR DIFFERENCES”

In the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province where the PTI holds power, party leaders also denied any discord.

CM Gandapur’s announcement of the 90-day campaign was made “in coordination with the top leadership and in line with Khan’s directions,” said Malik Adeel Iqbal, PTI’s information secretary in the province.

“There are no differences within the party,” he told Arab News. “We are focused on finalizing our protest plans in KP, while Punjab will make its own plans. If anyone has any concerns, they should raise them with the central leadership or Khan, rather than making them public.”

Ali Imtiaz Warraich, PTI’s parliamentary leader in the Punjab Assembly, said “minor differences” stemmed from communication challenges due to limited access to Khan in jail.

“As it is difficult to contact Imran Khan and receive directions due to obstacles in leadership meetings with him, the emergence of minor differences is natural,” he said. “But there is no rift between the KP and Punjab chapters or their leadership.”

Warraich said the party’s unity was visible last week when a large number of PTI lawmakers from Punjab joined CM Gandapur at a meeting in Lahore when the 90-day protest plan was announced. 

“We will organize our own protest plans in the province as per the directions of local and central leadership,” he said.

Asked whether the Punjab government would permit the protest campaign, provincial Information Minister Azma Bukhari said peaceful protest was a democratic right but accused the PTI of abusing that right in the past.

“PTI has a history of violence and anarchy,” she told reporters. “No political party is allowed to attack with weapons as Pakistan is our red line.”

“Politics should be kept above personal ego and self-interest and political issues resolved through political means,” Bukhari added.

Hundreds of PTI supporters were arrested after riots allegedly incited by the party against the military on May 9, 2023. The government also says four soldiers were killed in November protests last year. PTI denies the charges. 


‘Generational benefits’ from Reko Diq mines will uplift conflict-hit Balochistan — Barrick CEO

Updated 15 July 2025
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‘Generational benefits’ from Reko Diq mines will uplift conflict-hit Balochistan — Barrick CEO

  • Mining giant highlights local hiring, health care and education projects during visit to remote Chagai village
  • Project being developed in backdrop of decades of unrest, economic marginalization in restive Balochiatan

QUETTA: The chief executive of Canadian mining firm Barrick Gold said this week the multibillion-dollar Reko Diq copper and gold project in Pakistan’s Balochistan province will deliver “generational benefits” to the impoverished, conflict-hit region, as he met residents of Humai village near the mine site.

The Reko Diq project, jointly owned by Barrick and the governments of Pakistan and Balochistan, is one of the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits. Long delayed by legal disputes and concerns over foreign investment, the mine is seen as a potential economic game changer in a province that has long suffered from poverty, underdevelopment, and armed separatist violence.

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least populated province, has for years seen unrest rooted in demands for greater autonomy and a larger share of natural resource revenues. Separatist militants have regularly targeted infrastructure, Chinese investments, and security forces. Against this backdrop, Barrick has emphasized its commitment to inclusive and transparent development.

“Reko Diq is not just a mining project; it is a multi-generational opportunity that promises sustained economic and social development for local communities for decades to come,” Barrick CEO Mark Bristow said in a statement on Monday released after he visited Humai, the closest village to the project site in District Chagai.

Bristow met local elders and development committee members, reaffirming the company’s goal to invest in job creation, skills training, education, and health care for Baloch communities.

“We are creating job opportunities not only through RDMC but also through our large network of partner and supplier companies that are coming onboard to support this major development,” Bristow said. “Currently, 75 percent of our workforce is from Balochistan — the majority from District Chagai — and we aim to continue strengthening this local representation.”

Bristow also highlighted recent investments in health care, including a new Mother and Child Health Center in Humai that offers maternal care services — the first such facility of its kind in the area.

“No meaningful development of this world-class mineral resource can happen without the active involvement and support of the people who live here,” he said.

Humai village chief Liaqat Malik and Par-e-Koh Community Development Committee Chairman Taj Muhammad thanked Bristow and RDMC for their engagement and development work, pledging continued community support for the project, according to the Barrick statement. 

The Reko Diq project is expected to begin production by 2028 and generate thousands of jobs while significantly boosting Pakistan’s export revenues. The Pakistani government has said it will ensure environmental protections and fair distribution of project benefits, though watchdog groups continue to call for greater transparency and community participation in oversight.


Pakistan launches simplified digital tax system as part of $47 billion revenue drive

Updated 44 min 1 sec ago
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Pakistan launches simplified digital tax system as part of $47 billion revenue drive

  • New returns aimed at salaried workers to boost compliance and expand Pakistan’s narrow tax base
  • Reform part of broader economic agenda tied to IMF program and long-term fiscal sustainability

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) will launch simplified digital tax returns for salaried individuals today, Tuesday, the prime minister’s office announced, in a move aimed at increasing tax compliance and widening the country’s historically narrow tax base.

The launch is part of a broader reform effort tied to the government’s economic stabilization agenda and structural benchmarks under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. Despite a population of more than 240 million, Pakistan has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the region, with only a small percentage of citizens filing returns.

At a meeting to review progress on tax reforms, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was briefed that besides the new tax system for the salaried class, user-friendly, digital tax return forms would also be made available to other taxpayer categories from July 30. Urdu-language versions will be introduced to increase accessibility for salaried individuals.

“A third-party validation should be ensured for the transparency of all FBR reforms,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by his office. “Public awareness campaign should be launched regarding the ease of filing tax returns so that more and more people file returns under the new system.”

In June, the government set a record-high tax collection target of Rs14.13 trillion ($47.4 billion) for the fiscal year 2025–26, marking a 9 percent increase from the previous year. Officials say meeting this goal is essential to reducing reliance on external debt and ensuring long-term fiscal sustainability.

Sharif emphasized that expanding the tax net and easing the burden on low-income groups were key policy priorities. He also praised the FBR for deploying artificial intelligence in tax assessments, calling it a “milestone” in modernizing the country’s tax infrastructure.

“The prime minister directed provision of special facilities to small and medium-sized businesses to join the digital invoicing system,” the statement from his office said.

IMF country representative Mahir Binici said last week Pakistan’s recent reforms had helped restore macroeconomic stability and rebuild investor confidence but warned that global uncertainty continued to pose significant risks.

“Structural reforms remain central to Pakistan’s long-term economic sustainability, particularly reforms that strengthen tax equity, improve the business climate, and encourage private-sector-led investment,” Binici said during a recent lecture at an Islamabad-based think tank.

He added that geopolitical tensions, weakening global cooperation and external shocks required governments like Pakistan’s to take prudent, forward-looking actions to shield their economies.